France:

There is a revolution Jim, but not as we know it. The French players are largely the same, with some notable exceptions such as Yoann Maestri and Wesley Fofana, who can expect to go straight into the first XV, but it’s the new coaching ticket which gives this French team a new broom. Lievremont and his worrying moustache are gone, and Philip “Sale won the Premiership once” Saint-Andre is in charge, despite being a notably poorer candidate than Fabien Galthie. The priority is to stabilise the structure rather than change personnel – this group of players have very high currency in France, and it wouldn’t do PSA much good to start ditching them willy-nilly. This will be about re-establishing the relationship between management and players, media and fans.
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England:

The ongoing civil war between the clubs, the players, the RFU, the press and everyone else is immensely damaging to English rugby. The RWC preparation was poor, and the team were let down by senior players. Accordingly the management (Johnno) and some senior players have been cut loose. Stuart Lancaster is promising a back to basics approach, and some more enterprising rugby. There were quite a few new faces in the squad, and one can reasonably expect a new spine, and mentality, to be put in place. Lancaster may or may not be around to see it through, but it’s Year Zero for England right now.
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Ireland:

Sorry, we were daydreaming there…
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Wales:

It’s a hugely different Welsh squad from the one we saw in last seasons Six Nations, but this is primarily because Gatty and Co decided to pass the baton to the generation of Faletau, Warburton, Priestland and North before the RWC. This revolution is in its early stages – the Grand Slam heroes of 2008 are being phased out and a new generation being phased in. Gatty made a smart move back in August – if the geriatricos had underperformed in NZ, there would be lots of changes; now he need only be incremental. They won the Slam at this stage of the last cycle, and Gatty will be feeling bullish about delivering another. Hey, what’s new?
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Scotland:

Robbo is by nature an evolution not revolution man, but there is a natural change coming. Pack hardman Nathan Hines and boring boot merchant Chris Paterson have gone, and the (mostly) incumbent 10 of the last while, Dan Parks, will not be around for too much longer. Some of the Embra lads, Weir and Jones, will come straight in, as will HupHup Tim Visher by June. Robbo is an underrated coach, and we have a suspicion he will manage incremental change (3 to 4 new faces) each year, and build towards 2015 with something of a sure hand on the tiller

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Italy:

Rather like France, the revololpution is in the coaching ticket. Jacques Brunel, fresh from leading Perpignan to a first Bouclier in forever, arrives to take the reins from Nick Mallett. Italy have been improving year on year, but the big breakthrough of 2 wins not over Scotland has yet to happen. They came close last year, beating France and being a front-line kicker away from beating Ireland, but they are still stuck at the glass ceiling. The personnel are virtually the same, and Brunel will be hoping Treviso’s promotion from Whipping Boys to Awkward Arthurs translates to the international level.
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